Red, White and Blonde: How to Keep Your Color Vibrant

You’ve finally got the perfect sun-kissed highlights…never mind that they were achieved in a salon, not on the beach. Now how to prevent the actual summer sun and its BFFs—chlorine and salt—from wreaking havoc on your hue? Whether you’re sporting a fiery red or a bronde balayage, there are plenty of steps you can take to keep your color in tip-top shape.

Keeping reds ravishing

Ah, red…perhaps the most fickle of all the semi-permanent colors. Red dye molecules are among the largest of all the colors, which means they slip out of hair and fade more quickly. And the shade’s worst enemies? The sun and the heat. If you’re planning on spending prolonged time under UV rays, don’t just apply SPF to your body. Spritz your hair with the SPF-loaded, water-resistant Sun Care Protective Hair Veil by Aveda.

Red hair enemy number two is unavoidable: the hot water and suds that wash away a little of that vibrant pigment each time you shampoo. To help slow the process, shower with lukewarm water and opt for a color-depositing shampoo and conditioner like Aveda’s Madder Root. This gentle, deep-conditioning duo deposits color using organic red clover and—you guessed it—madder root. For extra impact, leave the conditioner on for two to five minutes. It’s the next best thing to a salon touch-up.

Source: Aveda

Blonde ambition

While blondes don’t fade, they can become brassy or worse after exposure to sun, salt and chlorine. (Anyone who’s experienced the dreaded greenish tint after spending a summer poolside knows what we’re talking about—more on that later.) That’s why washing your hair with a clarifying shampoo is especially important for blondes. Rinse off with Aveda’s Sun Care Hair and Body Cleanser. It features a corn-derived chelator (chelators are agents that bond to chlorine and salt to remove them) to safely remove chemicals and product buildup that may discolor your hair. Bonus: this green tea and coconut oil-enriched product doubles as a body wash.

One thing to note: because clarifying shampoos can be drying—and blondes are especially prone to damage this time of year—we recommend alternating with a more nourishing option, like Color Conserve or Dry Remedy.

Source: Aveda

Gray blending

Coming to terms with the fact that those aren’t exactly sun-bleached blonde highlights taking over your temples? This subtle, simple technique is perfect for you. Gray blending is a quick, easy, blink-and-you-miss-it service that camouflages white hairs, bringing them closer to a silvery uniform color. It harnesses 95 percent naturally derived demi-permanent dyes that fade gradually over four weeks. Best of all, the inexpensive treatment requires only five minutes at the salon shampoo bowl—letting you get back to your summer fun even faster.

Creative Commons | Source: Pexels

Pool prep work

Ready to jump in? Pause for just a moment. Before exposing your hair to chlorine, you should always be thinking protection—regardless of color or texture. Hair is porous, meaning it can soak up chlorine-laced pool water like a sponge. To prevent those chemicals from fading or discoloring your hair, treat your strands to a pre-rinse. Step in a shower pre-plunge and wet hair thoroughly. Because your dry hair has already absorbed non-chlorinated water, it will soak up less of the bad stuff—leaving you free to take the leap.

After the sun

After a day in the sun, your hair is as ready for some sustenance as you are. Replenish it with After-Sun Hair Masque, which is packed with nourishing ingredients including morikue protein, coconut oil and tamanu oil. Extra credit: If there’s sauna by your pool, apply the After-Sun Hair Masque and slip inside for a few minutes after shampooing. The heat and humidity will help the masque penetrate your hair even more deeply, conditioning and fortifying it from the inside out.

For more pro summer hair tips—or to update your look for the season—stop by Indira Salon Spa. We’ll make it our personal mission to ensure your hair makes it through the long Chicago, Park Ridge and Green Bay summer strong and in style. Click here: indirasalonspa.com/locations/ to book an appointment!